Google has moved its fully managed cloud-based IoT platform service, Cloud IoT Core, into public beta, reports Tech Republic. Announced earlier this year, the service will run on the Google Cloud Platform and allow users to securely manage millions of devices spread around the world through the cloud-based system.

Google's Cloud IoT Core is geared toward deployments for smart cities, utilities, transportation, and other enterprise ventures. The service was developed with the support of chipmaker NXP, which manufactures many of the semiconductors used in IoT devices, especially for smart cities. Customers will also be able to use the device-management service in conjunction with other Google Cloud services that offer data analytics.

Here are a couple of the key features of Google's platform:

Companies can bring their own device keys.Users are able to provide the platform with a certificate authority that's used to verify a device's identity when it's in the field and attempts to communicate with the cloud service. This means that companies can buy IoT devices in large quantities with certificates that are assigned offline, and then register those certificates with the cloud platform rather than needing to reassign the devices.

The platform maintains device states and capabilities. It will store information about the devices that are registered with it, which means that customers will be able to query the platform to get information about the device's last known state as well as the types of data it's able to record. Other IoT platforms like Amazon's AWS IoT offer a similar service, which can provide useful information about monitoring capabilities and inform purchasing decisions.

Google is trying to leverage its cloud offerings to expand its place in the IoT platform market. Last year, Google introduced the Android Things developer framework to allow companies to develop software for IoT devices and to connect them back to platforms. It continues to move into this somewhat-crowded platforms market, looking to compete for a share of what could become a $325 billion sector with other providers of managed cloud services like Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly as companies around the world connect thousands of devices every day. But behind those devices, there's a sector worth hundreds of billions of dollars supporting the IoT.

Platforms are the glue that holds the IoT together, allowing users to take full advantage of the disruptive potential of connected devices. These platforms allow the IoT to achieve its transformational potential, letting businesses manage devices, analyze data, and automate the workflow.

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